


Lullabies

by Kedreeva



Series: The Fourth Gull [2]
Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: Fluff, Kid Fic, Lullabies, Multi, Threegulls, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 16:45:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5463788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kedreeva/pseuds/Kedreeva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short bit of fluff with Duke rocking the trio's newborn daughter to sleep with a lullaby he learned from Lucy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lullabies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jadzibelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jadzibelle/gifts).



          Even now, Duke sleeps lightly. He isn’t sure that will ever change; he’s spent too many years on a hair-trigger of wakefulness in order to protect himself. During the years he’d been on the run, this was a useful trait, something which kept him alive on more than one occasion. It was something he  _valued_ , then, but he hasn’t had a reason to value it since _safety_ became a normal part of his life.

          At least, until tonight.

          Tonight, he wakens to the soft beginnings of fussing from the bassinet and slips from the edge of the bed before the sound can wake Audrey or Nathan. The moon is in full shine, bathing their bedroom in silver light, playing over the dips and curves of his partners where they lay snuggled safely beneath the mountain of covers. Duke takes just a couple of heartbeats for himself, just enough time to roam his eyes and smile at the feeling of contentment before turning to the bassinet.

          Gently, still nervous about touching such a small and fragile creature, Duke lifts their newborn and cradles her in his arms. She heaves a sigh and closes her eyes when he so, so softly runs a finger down the bridge of her nose, moving for the exit.

          She fusses on the way downstairs, and Duke coos quietly, an extra bounce and sway in his movements that seems to calm her. He pulls one of the small bottles from the fridge, warms it in water for a few minutes, and then offers it to her. For just a second she makes a face, then catches on and begins to nurse.

          With a smile, he heads back up the stairs, careful not to pull the bottle away from her. Instead of returning to his own bedroom, he turns into the nursery, settling down into the old, wooden rocking chair. Everything around him is pristine, ready and waiting for little baby Grace when she is old enough that Audrey will let her leave their bedroom.

          She finishes the bottle swiftly, screwing up her face in a yawn as soon as she is done. Duke plucks a cloth from the changing station next to the rocking chair and smoothes it over one shoulder for her just in case. He doesn’t end up needing it this time, sets it aside when she is finished, swaddles her up and leans back in the rocking chair to wait for her to sleep.

          He still finds it hard to believe that the three of them  _made_ her. He looks over her chubby little cheeks, the fine dusting of dark, curly hair, her tiny, button nose, and cannot help the overwhelming sensation of  _luck_ and  _love_ that tingles at his skin.

          They  _made her_  and she is  _beautiful_.

          Happiness bubbles up from his chest in the form of a few gently hummed notes of a song.  She stirs in his arms, blinks sleepily at him, and then _settles_ when he begins to sing. The words rasp softly, breaking sweetly over his attempt to keep his voice to a whisper.

          “ _Oh, I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do. My gift is my song, and this one’s for you…_ ” He flexes one foot, rocking them both as he sings to her. This is a song he knows well, one that he has held close to his chest since the first time he ever heard it played as a child.

          Even now, he can hear the keys of the piano under Lucy’s fingertips as she sat next to him on the piano bench, her voice clear and high as she put words to the notes. He remembers the feel of her hands on his jaw, her thumbs wiping away the tears streaming down his face when she told him she was going away for a while, but it was going to be okay now. Remembers the way her voice cracked on the last words of their song when she sang it for the last time.

          He remembers, starkly, the first time he heard the beginning notes of the song play out under Audrey’s hands, and the tears that had leaped to his eyes.

          And here, rocking his child to sleep for the first time by himself, he thinks he finally understands how Lucy felt.

          “ _I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words… how_  wonderful  _life is, now that you’re in this world._ ”

          A scuff from the doorway pulls Duke’s attention away from his daughter. Audrey is standing in the doorway, looking tired but happy, leaning against the frame, her head tipped to rest there as well. He smiles and her expression echoes his automatically.

          “Sorry,” he murmurs, letting his head fall back to the headrest. “Was trying not to wake you.”

          “It’s okay,” Audrey tells him, voice scratchy with sleep. “Thanks for feeding her.”

          Duke hums his response instead of answering, and turns his attention back to Grace. She is sound asleep in his arms, and he’s not sure that he’s ever, ever been happier.

          “You know,” Audrey says, slow and deliberate. “A long time ago, Nathan said he didn’t think you were father material.”

          Duke stiffens, looks over in confusion, only to find that Nathan has very silently joined them all. He’s got his arms wrapped around Audrey, chin hooked over her shoulder, and he has the good grace to let his smile show a little of his chagrin. “Nathan was wrong,” Nathan says, gruff and rumbly.

          Something eases in Duke’s chest as he realizes that Audrey meant to tease Nathan, not him. “Yeah, well, I’m going to out-Dad you,” he says with a little grin as he leans forward to clamber to his feet.

          “You’re going to  _try_ ,” Nathan tells him, accepting a kiss on Duke’s way past.

          They both follow him back to their bedroom, and Duke passes Grace to Nathan to put back in the bassinet. He knows that Nathan just wants to hold her forever, would have her sleeping in the bed between the three of them if Audrey didn’t have a say in the matter. Instead, he cradles her until Audrey and Duke have gotten back under the covers, and then gently places her back in her bassinet so he can join them.

          When they are all three back where they belong, Duke snakes an arm over Audrey’s midsection, long fingertips brushing Nathan’s hip. The last thing Duke remembers before sleep is the brush of Nathan’s hand over his, reassuring, and Audrey’s warm, muzzy  _goodnight_.

**Author's Note:**

> The song is "Your Song" by Elton John. The lyrics here are from the newer version sung by Ellie Goulding.


End file.
